Alexander Gradsky - Unofficial site

Nor, for that matter, the Beethoven - it's a rock! Or in the Mussorgsky «Pictures at an Exhibition» and «Songs and Dances of Death» - to the rock music Grebenshchikov and «Alice» never reach!... Read more - Songs on the music and arrangement. So, it all started with the «Skomorokhov» in 1966, where you played with Gradsky, Buynova and Shakhnazarov. What began themselves «Skomorokhs»? and the music!

Marina Timasheff

Mono-person - Alexander Gradsky

or an interview with Alexander Gradsky, places turning into a monologue.

«Theatres» № 9, 1990

— Sasha, for a rock musician is natural to work with the group. And you're starting out, like everyone else, with the "Slavs", "cockroaches", "clowns". Now you're probably the only person in the Soviet rock group, and without even without accompanying staff. How is it that you were alone?

A. Gradsky. First, set up a group of enthusiasts. Lack of musical training, they made up for communion, and the fact that they were young. Someone knew a chord, someone came up with a new sound, someone was just a man with imagination. They write songs together - a brigade method. In the West, the following happens: either they have found a clever knowledgeable producer who became a member of the group and the supreme judge in disputes, or not found and ... died. In a successful case (the same «Beatles») then they have evolved under the guidance of professionals. And that dog shit, which we strongly inflated, that, behold, they say, the group - themselves geniuses. Most great musicians do not live without a producer. Moreover, they do not live without the sound engineer, the owner of the firm, the store. We have no prodyuserstva Institute and the people to fend for themselves. Of all the lines of genre, we coincides with the West are just a few: technologization process and making the most talented and professionally trained musician in the leader. He subsequently parted ways with either group, or conducts through her own ideas.

At one point I could not already work in a team where anyone expressed thoughts, my opposite. I pressed on, and Igor Fokin Saulsky and felt it improper to put pressure on talented people. The group is increasingly turned into a play up the composition. I'm stuck too active on the scene. Near me were two great instrumentalist, but he wrote all the things I am one - and I was uncomfortable. In general, we have quietly parted. And then - the money was not catastrophic, the equipment was not, in the output of the plate, in writing, the tour was not. And not a year or two, but seven - eight years. Today, when some young man says he has been a year, but it all on TV does not show - it's ridiculous. We will not be shown as a group from 1964 till the 80th. And I was one the first time showed in the 76th. 12 years after the start. The disappointment was very great. But the hardening of our generation is stronger. We had more fun. Maybe more drinking port wine.

I try to mind - does not work.

— Well, almost a third reason follows from the second. When I was one, two, three tried to play one, it seemed to me very comfortable. I took care of a group (the leader must think about what his musicians eat), all proceeds from the concerts were to me. Simplified organizational number - picked up a guitar and sat in the car and drove off. Simplified concert series - success depends on one person, next to no one picks his nose, does not itch, does not distract the viewer. Many advantages and only one minus - is responsible for everything myself. Failed - do not look guilty.

Again, I'm trying to resist ...

— Well, except that the sound engineer. But he goes anyway. Poor Volodya Shirkina, my friend, it is unfortunately not. How he got away from me - it is simply impossible.

And the human voice with the guitar is much easier than the group. Requires less equipment and personnel.

Gradsky takes breath, and I was finally able to break.

— Everyone is talking about theatrical rock show, rock the connection with the Russian folk tradition, and your band was called "Buffoons." So when it did it was invented - in the 85th or before?

— No, I came up in the 66th. The truth, however, do not brag. I just put together what he knew about the folk traditions with rock and roll.

We had a little performance, and in '68 - "Boldly Buzzing Fly," and a program of songs in Russian. We sang (singing): "" My Mama nursed under a bush in the little will, without a mother, I grow on people but in goryushke "or" Oh, Ivan, Ivan, Ivanushka, oh, what a fool you are, you did not like Anna, are not weaving you wreath, not throwing it to the river bank, with a steep river bank "- it was all very lyrical -" did not wait in the dead of night but "- and then all yelled:" you, Vanya, oh, fool. "It was ernichestvo - hence the "Buffoons."

— Hence the irony and self-irony, which for a long time will determine the style.

— Of course. I sang: "Suddenly, from somewhere in a small midge flies, and in his hand a burning torch a little" - and showed his hand, what and where it is lit ...

— Erotic show "Boldly Buzzing Fly" ... But we're talking about rock and roll. What is it? What are the characteristics of the genre?

— Organization of rock 'n' roll product is designed for an active rhythm. Most naturally, this is expressed in the group with shock. But it is in man with a guitar - just do not hear the drum. Therefore, the "Tender May" - a rock 'n' roll, and Beethoven - Rock 'n' roll. I can hear the inner pulse and rhythm. A boy with a first-year vocational school does not hear. For him, Beethoven was not a rock 'n' roll. A «Modern Talking» - rock 'n' roll as it is for me. And none of us is greater than another human. But I'm better than him. I hear a rhythm where he does not hear.

We grow and age. Grows and old civilization. Increases the information that gets people. It was not designed for such volume. Or at least, had no idea that can receive and transmit information in such quantities. To keep from going mad, a man begins to protect itself. He says: "So, wait, I do not want to." But there is a natural thing. As soon as someone starts to rhythmically pound on the pan, the body responds. So the tribes mumbo-jumbo, that's the old Russia, where the topotushki - ta-pa-tam, ta-pa-tam - dancing. Topotushka three legs, two legs in the topotushka - famous Russian rhythmic education. Rock 'n' roll, deliberately organized as a rhythmic structure that makes people over react. Classics of drums used only superemotsionalnyh points. For example, for a long time, about 20 minutes, develops the theme in the symphony of Shostakovich, and then suddenly putty in trombones. Drum cover: the listener - a catharsis. A rock 'n' roll hits at once sharply - TY-doo-doo-spirit! The man - a-ah - and did not have time to look back, as this is filled with music. Hence, two tendencies among the audience. First - love the hot rock 'n' roll and not imagine any existence without it. A man times has experienced explosive power of this art, does not want to respond to different music, penetrating into it without the explosion. The second - a sharp rejection, because rock 'n' roll explodes information armor and a person who is not like, without asking his consent. A person experiencing disharmony: "How did they blow me?" He does not understand that it does not explode, but only case. Hence - the sharp opposition to the genre.

— You talk about the spectator-participant, and the "fourth wall" is a rock?

— No, it's unreal. Rock 'n' roll - a form of jokes, dialogue.

When an actor reading the story Khmelev goes on stage, even in a suit and tie, even a monologue from the play, he still has no character and the actor who reads the viewer. The viewer reacts - actor, too. The actor in the play and the actor on the stage - is different. In rock 'n' roll is obvious.

— Snatching away the word "pop." If we use it as a dirty ... «Modern Talking», «Tender May" - pops and pop music ...

— Well, we did not, and you.

— Me and these kind words to say. I'm talking about Quiche, working on templates ill-mannered, untrained intelligence, entirely using its weaknesses ...

AG: (interrupting):

— The biggest misconception, a purely Soviet factor. This term - art for the masses - whose name is committed terrible things in the country, coined. The art we have always belonged to any groups of intellectuals, who themselves were cooked in its own juice, and their task was to create useful for them as art. What does it mean useful: so you did not touch the heads, so you people listened to that and another brought material benefit. If the mass culture of the West is Sting, Phil Collins, Liza Minnelli, we have - "Tender May", Zhenya Belousov and Dima Malikov. In general, make a fool not to entertain - it means creating an outlet for people.

On the other hand, we give people the spectacle along the path of least resistance. We know, on what receptors are easier to push to get the desired result. Sing to him of love, and he was crying - that's you and the entire Indian film library. But those who go down this path, can not count on the respect for the audience, which are oriented. Loving "Tender May" or Malikov easily change their idols. Well, there is another part of the audience who did not grow intellectually and combines his passion for "Tender May" with yourself young.

— This is typical of any person. Song, by which he was 13 years old danced with a girl will always call him the good emotions, regardless of intelligence.

— And nothing's wrong. Educated people look down on it. Those who are mildly, say people like this crap, let indulgent, she reminds him of his childhood. Aggressive man says, horrified, as you can love, let's ban or quarrel. After all, what's the charm of a real democracy, which we do not? It is that if a person does not push, nothing he does not deceive, he himself begins to doubt the correctness of his choice. Otherwise, it defends its even more confusion. Davilovka creates a confrontation between different groups in society. Instead of competing works of literature, the authors begin to compete. Suppose you and I wrote the song, and your broke. And I just do not have the dignity to accept defeat and write something new. Then I start to press no means literary, and political, economic ...

— Defamatory.

— Such a person can win. Say to him, dear, a man like you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. He must warn about this. In advance.

— That's all cry, that rock music in our country has got into the kingdom of heaven that is over. And it came to an end for many and beautiful life. They saw themselves on a white horse, entering in the Saratov and Tambov, and there - are full stadiums, people hang on lampposts, sitting on the police caps, etc. So it was. Not for long. Passed. People who for many years opted out of the western rock and switched to Russian, once again pulled away in the old niche. All were quickly scattered. The musicians are nervous. Those who make money on the musicians, even more nervous. Nervous about those who fought for many years, "the right to rock." In addition, our musicians went abroad, and there came a deafening crash. At the same time I do not feel that you may be worried about. So, are you sure that your audience is not going anywhere - otherwise would be worried.

— I have a constant audience. And I've never been a folk hero. I'm completely missing an inferiority complex. I know exactly who I am. There are a range of undervalued - I will not hide. But I am a professional person: composer, singer and actor.

— The theater can coexist with fate?

— Rock - this is theater. The theater is all. Here we're talking - this is theater.

— Stricter say, Gilan, he sang of Christ, and Gilan, singing «Child In Time». We have a rock opera?

— Rock opera, I think, a - "Jesus Christ". I wrote a rock opera, but it's more just an opera. Rybnikov wrote, but it's more a musical than an opera, and more pop than rock.

— At the Bolshoi Theatre was a "rock" opera "Golden Cockerel". Rock - because you're singing Astrologer. How could this happen - a rock musician in the window of the theater of the country, a loner in the ensemble. And not in a novel setting, and in the classical repertoire.

— Just very strange that I got up there, as it should be. Sting sings on Broadway in "Threepenny Opera", but it would be strange to see him on the stage of Covent Garden, singing is not his, and the operatic voice. I called Svetlanov. I normally sing two performances of eight. Then he ended the season. Then he did not recommend ... Apparently ... But it's not because of the company. Do not act professional biases. Musicians I even applauded - well, you know, the bow of a staff.

— You're not telling anything. You do not want anyone to abuse? Well, if it were not interfered with?

— This is a very serious matter. We must forget about everything. For me it was a sports event, but not the fruit of reflection on the fate of Russian opera: but I can not, tree-reel, to do this? I graduated as a vocalist, but in the opera house did not work for a minute. And here come the first opera and even sing one of the main parties. Technically, I complicated my own songs to sing, but mentally it was not easy - to sing without a microphone, to find the right sound, tone and remember the old feelings - sounds like room, change his cast understand what is happening on stage. I - the actor has his own opinion, and I am quite independent figure to make decisions. But here - the director. And he - the other person. I had to stifle a little bit, but I have something of his all time Perlo, and I think this is one of the reasons that I somehow do not want it to be. When the show ended, I rented a hoodie and remained in the denim suit. It was my idea, and Svetlanov was supported. I am treated as an Astrologer stranger from the future or from a country with a higher level of civilization, but it turned out that this nation, its king, its people can not be the case, and he flew back to his planet. If I would have stayed in a robe mage, it would be just the traditional character of the tale, rather than modern man, gazing on this story from the side. Incidentally, the director during rehearsals Ansimov us to this calling, but this is not to be seen. And I think that the audience is not enough to show fancy splint, so he thought. He must poke and say - this is so. Ansimov did not like it.

— So, Astrologer realized that he could not kontachit this civilization, and went home. And the something like Sasha Gradsky?

— Well, until he is forced to be here and to contact, but he is beginning to pall. Tired of denying himself everything for the sake of high ideas, and even without being something special in the opinion of people.

— This is not due to the fact that there scary?

— It is terrible. On the road of civilization through the gullies and ditches of course, we will leave. But not like to think that because of the nonsense people will die, trends and ideas. And it will be. And not as a result of some underlying processes in society, but because it will bring together five people and arrange something. It is terrible to savage obstinacy with which people defend something that does not exist. Ask anyone - all say that they are not satisfied with the current situation. But they can not agree how to rebuild. What they do in the U.S., it is - common sense. And we think, as it so tricky to common sense is not destroyed my ideas. But this is impossible. Anyone who is mistaken. Only the experience of many is what is called common sense.

— The poet stands for common sense ...

— Otherwise I would have been a politician who does not act for reasons of common sense, but for reasons of profit. Poets and musicians - people are genetically charged to the rejection of personal gain, to something higher. American Society was initially society of individuals. When everyone is a poet, a maverick - a poet of business or something else, besides, has common sense - if it is combined with others in society. If each is a group and its interests, it is annoying to another group and start a confrontation. Writers do not have to swear to each other - what they share? But the writers union may well be. The opinion of each formula adjusts to the association. So I - a maverick.

That is such a tricky way I got the answer to your first question: Alexander, why are you alone?